Full order books and production running at full speed – what more could a company ask for? The prospect of investing a lot of money and opening an online shop now seems like an unnecessary risk to many. It can be worth it though. After all, more than 80 percent of 16 to 74 year olds in Germany now shop online.
But when will the time come when a company can hardly avoid the topic of e-commerce? The following signs reveal it.
Why is the digitalization of sales even worth it?
For companies that have so far been able to rely on analogue sales – and have enjoyed great success with it – an online shop sounds like a challenge that you don’t necessarily have to face. After all, it is associated with high risks.
On the one hand, the costs of creating the right website and maintaining it. On the other hand, the time and costs involved in possible returns. Every time you send goods back and forth, it ultimately uses up resources Bitkom Managing Director Dr. Bernhard Rohleder explained in a study on online shopping published in 2024.
These arguments are true. However, this must be countered: Providers such as the digital agency onacy support companies in their professional entry into e-commerce. They develop platforms that simplify processes on the one hand and on the other Strengthen brands and sustainably increase sales can.
And numerous studies show that an online shop can help companies achieve higher profits. There are also valid reasons for this. Because an online shop:
- increases the reach of a company and can therefore appeal to a larger target group
- is open around the clock
- enables personalized customer experiences and thus increases customer satisfaction
You can also do this with your own online shop Collect and analyze data about customer behavior. This in turn not only helps with sales forecasts and price optimization. It can also help increase marketing effectiveness and customer loyalty.
When is it recommended to set up an online shop?
Small and medium-sized companies in particular – so-called SMEs – often shy away from setting up their own online shop because of the costs involved. However, there are signs that suggest venturing into the deep end of e-commerce:
Orders by phone or email are already being accepted
Can customers already order from the company by phone or email? Then it’s not far to get to your own online shop. Because a high volume of orders via email in particular shows: This Customer interest in digital sales options is there.
An online shop also saves money. The process costs for order acceptance and processing are significantly lower than with the ordering process over the telephone.
After all, a telephone order doesn’t just have to be accepted by a customer employee. It is usually transferred manually into the ERP system. This ties up human resources, increases error rates and causes unnecessary costs.
The goods and services sold are not too complex
Online trading is constantly developing. But standard online shops are usually not sufficient for selling complex products that can be configured individually for each customer. Instead, a special product configurator needed, the development of which can result in high costs.
However, if companies sell “simple” products or services, they can be Use e-commerce standards. This means that the shop remains clear, easy to use and comfortable for potential customers.
Many competitors already use e-commerce channels
One of the strongest arguments for having your own online shop is that most of your competitors already have one. On the one hand, this means that there is enough customer interest in online shopping in the respective industry.
On the other hand, the competition’s professional online shops in particular point to this high probability of success in e-commerce there. After all, it is only worth putting a lot of effort into online product presentations if it results in a noticeable increase in sales figures.
